GENESIS: The First "Soap Opera", Sarai, Abram and Hagar; Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.”

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” (Genesis 16:1-2) 

In the previous lesson, we studied how the Lord reaffirmed His covenant with Abram that he and his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan, but in order for that to happen, Abram would have to have some descendants.  The Lord promised him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” (Genesis 15:4)

Initially we may think what Sarai proposed was not a problem because if Abram conceived a child with the maidservant, the child would be from his own body.  But that would be a problem, because we have to remember the covenant God established for marriage. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)

Many of the nations around them may have practiced this kind of "harem" or polygamous lifestyle, but God's intention is that one man marry one woman and they become one flesh. "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:9)

When the Lord told Abram one who will come from your own body shall be your heir, Abram knew that the Lord meant from his and Sarai's union.  But just like Eve took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6) Sarai fed Abram some bad "fruit" and he ate also. And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. (Genesis 16:3-4) 

The first time Abram did what he thought he should do instead of what the Lord told him to do, he left Canaan and went to Egypt; But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. (Genesis 12:17) Now, this was his second time doing what he thought instead of what the Lord told him, and this time would have even worse consequences.

Hagar, when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.” (Genesis 16:4-5) 

Sarai came up with the idea, Abram went along with it, now Sarai was upset with Abram because the plan worked, but Hagar was now treating Sarai like she wasn't her master anymore. So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. (Genesis 16:6) 

What a mess! O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. (Jeremiah 10:23) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Hagar would come to the place where she would allow God to direct her. Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” (Genesis 16:7-9) 

Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” And the Angel of the Lord said to her: “Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” (Genesis 16:10-12) 

What a loving God we serve! Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation,... (II Corinthians 1:3-4) Hagar had to have been confused, why was this happening to her?  She had not asked Abram to come to her.  She may have even felt he loved her and not Sarai, which may be why she started treating Sarai like she was no longer her master.  But then to find out she was pregnant and watch Abram allow Sarai to deal harshly with her had to have been more than she could bear.

The Lord speaking to her had to have been reassuring to her that she didn't do anything wrong. He even speaks a blessing on her life similar to Abram's, that He would multiply her descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude. Even though her son would be a wild man, and have problems with every man, she was not to flee from Sarai and Abram's presence, but to return and raise her son right there, in the presence of all his brethren.

We all make mistakes and sometimes wish we could hide them or escape from them, but we can't because the thoughts and memories will always be with us, even if there isn't a physical manifestation of them.  All we have to do is pray to and trust in God to help us get beyond our mistakes, and He will. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. (I Peter 5:10)

Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered. So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. (Geneis 16:13-16)